 Sagittarius
2004 Edition
Sagittarius is represented in the Zodiac by the Greek Centaur, a creature half-human and half-horse. Centaurs were believed to be great wizards, healers, and philosophers. This is because their knowledge spans both the human and the animal realm. They are the only sign having this breadth of knowledge. The constellation was also historically linked to Epona, a Celtic mare-goddess who was the bringer of prophetic dreams as well as night-mares. The time of Sagittarius is when we look ahead to the Spring by storing away the harvest and preparing the fields for winter. The leaves turn their Fall colors and we begin to settle into indoor activities. Thanksgiving appropriately takes place during this Zodiacal sign. We look around us to see what we have to get us through winter and what we can give to those who are not so well prepared. The monthly installment of The Great Astrological Light Bulb Joke: Q. How many Sagittarians does it take to change a light bulb? A. The sun is shining, the day is young, and we've got our whole lives ahead of us, and you're inside worrying about a stupid burned-out light bulb? Note: I have no idea who originally wrote this. Erika sent it to me years ago and I still think it’s as funny as it is insightful! November 21st The Sun enters Sagittarius. November 25th is Thanksgiving: Here is my favorite Thanksgiving story: A young man named Dick received a parrot as a gift. The parrot had a bad attitude and an even worse vocabulary. Every word out of the bird's mouth was rude, obnoxious and laced with profanity. Dick tried and tried to change the bird's attitude by consistently saying only polite words, playing soft music and anything else he could think of to "clean up" the bird's vocabulary. Finally, Dick was fed up and he yelled at the parrot. The parrot yelled back. Dick shook the parrot and the parrot got angrier and even ruder. Dick, in desperation, grabbed the bird and put him in the freezer. For a few minutes the parrot squawked and kicked and screamed. Then suddenly there was total quiet. Not a peep was heard for over a minute. Fearing that he'd hurt the parrot, Dick quickly opened the door to the freezer. The parrot calmly stepped out onto Dick 's outstretched arms and said "I believe I may have offended you with my rude language and actions. I'm sincerely remorseful for my inappropriate transgressions and I fully intend to do everything I can to correct my rude and unforgivable behavior." Dick was stunned at the change in the bird's attitude. As he was about to ask the parrot what had made such a dramatic change in his behavior, the bird continued, "May I ask what the turkey did?" November 26th is a Full Moon: The Moon and Sun are opposite each other in the sky. The Moon reflects all of the Sun's light. This is the time to perform rituals for protection, clarity of vision, and consecration, get your hair cut if you want it to grow back thicker. Feelings are heightened; matters appear larger than life. To learn more about actively using the Moon's energy in your life, see The Moon Through the Signs and Moon Phases. These guides are located in our Library. December 3rd is the First Friday of the month and the Dunthor Open House! Kim sent in the political compass link: http://www.politicalcompass.org/. Take the test, print out your grid, and bring it to the party. Click here to see party details and directions below. December 8th is Hanukkah December 11th is a New Moon: The Moon and Sun are conjunct in the sky. The moon is dark and gradually increases to a crescent. This is the time to begin a ritual, a new project, to ask for new vision, get beauty treatments, cut your hair (if you want fast re-growth), get medical treatment, make long-term relationship plans. To learn more about actively using the Moon's energy in your life, see The Moon Through the Signs and Moon Phases. These guides are located in our Library. December 12th is a Fundraiser for Whiffle: Kindel says: I am holding a fundraiser/scarf sale for my cat, Whiffle, on Sunday, December 12th from 1-6 pm. Whiffle was diagnosed with cancer in his right eye and had to have emergency surgery to remove it. Unfortunately, the vet now needs to be paid. Well, not unfortunate. She did a fabulous job and saved Whiffle's life, but it did come to quite a large sum of money. I will be selling bath salts, lap quilts and fancy pants in addition to scarves and I will have munchies. So drop by to do some Christmas shopping, or just to say "hi.” I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday and I look forward to seeing you on the 12th. -- Kindel. (My address is 13635 26th Place South, SeaTac, 98168. If you need directions, you can use MapQuest, or call me at 241-5233.) December 13th is the peak of the Geminids meteor showers. December 21st - The Sun enters Capricorn Stone of the Sign - Sagittarius
This is a huge blue topaz. I wrapped it in sterling silver and topped it off with spirals and curls. Blue topaz is a stone to help you focus your intentions on a single goal. It resonates to Sagittarius and will assist you in achieving your hopes and dreams. Silver is a conductor of energy and is said to aid in communication as it improves the transmission of nerve impulses. According to tradition, it is a good metal for healing purposes because it is in tune with the body. Silver can reduce anxiety and help you to relax when solving problems. It is believed to help conduct the energy of stones into your body and auric field. On sale for Sagittarius: only 85.00 USD Click here to see this item and more in my Jewelry Catalog. To learn more about how to use Gemstones in your
daily life, see "What
Gemstones Should I Wear?" guide in our
Library. Inga's
Space
Here is a fun website to check out. It is Carpe Noctem and it has haunted spots listed by state as well as military heroes, serial killers, and conspiracy theories. Here is a quote: "Books are a passion, and
collecting them, a pathology." - Paraphrased from THE LIBRARY OF
ALEXANDRIA Edited by ROY MACLEOD, I.B.Tauris publishers LONDON ~ NEW
YORK
The emergence of civilization was a great creative act and not merely the inevitable development of agricultural societies. Many communities had learned to farm, but only a handful made the leap to civilization. A mood of uncertainty and anxiety, an awareness of the cosmos as unfathomable and mysterious, a feeling of dread about the fragility of human existence and the impermanence of human achievement - these attitudes are as the first civilization. -- From "Western Civilization" by Marvin Perry Here is my favorite paper from last quarter. One of my classmates commented on how appropriate it was for a Scorpio with a Gemini Ascendant to choose the Library of Alexandria as a topic. I hope you enjoy it!
Alexandria was the most populous city of the time and the one most representative of the Hellenistic Age. Comprising the period between the 4th and the 1st century BCE, between the conquest of the Persian Empire by Alexander the Great and the establishment of Roman law in the territory, the Hellenistic age is characterized by syncretism and universality, a blending of Eastern and Western traditions. Perry says, “The city was an unrivaled commercial center; goods from the Mediterranean world, East Africa, Arabia, and India circulated in its marketplaces, this cosmopolitan center also attracted poets, philosophers’ physicians, astronomers, and mathematicians” (1). He does not specify astrologers in his list but the terms: astronomer, physician, and mathematician are often synonymous with astrologer in this era. MacLeod expands on the religious implications of syncretism, “Alexandria the city was a place at the centre of trade in goods and peoples, as well as ideas. It was a religious site, and a site of religions, a place where all the gods were worshipped, where Jews, pagans and Christians debated theologies influenced by the Zoroastrianism of Persia, and the Buddhism and Hinduism of India. Neo-Platonism, some say, was actually invented in Alexandria” (2) Like Rome, there are legends associated with its establishment. In one story, Homer appears to Alexander in a dream, and tells him to build a great city and name it after himself. Alexander conquered Egypt in 331 BCE, and transformed a settlement of fishermen and pirates at the mouth of the Nile into his Alexandria. The story loses some of its cachet when the map shows that Alexander created thirty-one other “Alexandrias” throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa. Alexander died before seeing his plans fulfilled but his friend and General, Ptolemy, gained control of Egypt from his rivals and made the city the capital of his dynasty. The concept of a library was not new. Both Tukulti-Ninurta I (1243- 1207 BCE) and Tiglath-Pileser I (1792 – 1750 BCE) created libraries in Assyria. Their successor, King Ashurbanipal, expanded the library at Nineveh into a collection of writings for readers rather than a collection of reference materials for the professional class of scribes. Ashurbanipal boasts that he is the first among the kings to achieve literacy, so historians assume that Nineveh was really his own private library (3). For Ptolemy I, the Museion and library were his way of both creating an impressive cultural monument and giving “his heirs dominion over the learning of the Hellenic world” (4). “Inspired by Aristotle’s Lyceum and Plato’s Academy, it was a place where pursuits favored by the Muses – literature philosophy, science – might be pursued in tranquility” (5). “As a shrine dedicated to the Muses, the Museum had the same legal form as Plato’s school in Athens, where a school required religious status to gain the protection of Athenian law. It was presided over by a priest of the Muses, called an epistates, or director, appointed by analogy with the priests who managed the temples of Egypt” (6). “If the principal shrine of Apollo was Delphi, and that of Zeus, Olympus, then surely the shrine of the Muses would be Alexandria” (7). The Library of the Museion has achieved mythic status in history. MacLeod says, “Much of the Library’s universal appeal resides in the reverence scholars have for independent scholarship and fundamental research” (8). Described by modern scholars as a Proto-University, Think Tank, and Research Institute, “The Library was destined to be a far more ambitious undertaking than a mere repository of scrolls. It was the first to underwrite a programme of cultural Imperialism, to become a ‘centre of calculation’, in Bruno Latour’s phrase. For similar reasons, royal libraries were later established in all the Hellenistic centres – for prestige, for cultural intelligence, and for the practical purposes of administration and rule. […] Finally, unlike its rivals, the new Library was to be universal. It would aim for complete coverage of everything ever written” (9). Following the death of Ptolemy Soter, his son and successor Ptolemy Philadelphus carried the project to its completion. The Library of the Museion attracted intellectuals to the city, with Erasistratos, Callimachus, Zenodotus of Ephesus, Aristophanes, Eratosthanes, Apollonius of Perga, Aristarchus, Archimedes, Euclid, and Strato all spending time in Alexandria. Julius Caesar was said to have created the Julian calendar with advice from the library’s scholars. Both the physicians Herophilus and Hippocrates were associated with Alexandria as well as with Kos. Herophilus was a pioneer in the study of anatomy who trained at the medical center on Kos, possibly with Hippocrates before moving to Alexandria (10). This evidence of linkage to Kos is firm evidence of the presence of astrology in Alexandria at that time. Claudius Ptolemy also lived in Alexandria for many years and “wrote widely and on a number of subjects: astrology, of course, but astronomy, history, geometry, music, and geography as well” (11). In fact, his Almagest, was based on astronomical observations that were made from the region of Alexandria (12). Hellenistic syncretism is evident in the symbolism and art in recent archeological finds. “The monuments of Pharaonic provenance which have been found to date were transported to Alexandria from distant, more ancient sites, such as Heliopolis, near what is now Cairo. Yet some idea of an Alexandrian architectural style resides in the architectural remnants of the Ptolemaic age” (13). Jean-Yves Empereur recalls his own impressions on first scuba diving at this site: ‘At first glance, the chaos was incomprehensible. There were elements of Pharaonic history and others which had been part of Greek monuments.” And the Egyptologist Jean-Pierre Coteggiani suggests, further, that the findings of Empereur’s team mean that: ‘architects of the Hellenistic era already had a taste for Egyptian marvels. We can suppose that they made two sorts of re-use of them. A re-use of monuments as decorative elements: obelisks, sphinxes, statues, etc.; a re-use of materials, such as blocks of granite from Aswan. It appears that Pharaonic monuments existed in Alexandria, and this we never imagined” (14). Among the amalgams we may consider is an Alexandrian column capitol found beneath the sea at the Pharos site, one which modifies the ionic precedent of the Greeks to incorporate the papyrus which was the symbol of Lower Egypt (15). There is archeological and literary evidence of schools and of people reading scrolls from 500 BCE. Papyrus scrolls were to become available from booksellers as early as the 5th century BCE (16). This allowed people to begin their own collections, the most notable of which was Aristotle’s personal library” (17). The earliest textual evidence of the library is the Letter of Aristeas [c180-145 BC] reputedly written by a Jewish scholar employed at the Library. The letter is the story of the Septuagint or translation of the Hebrew scriptures into Greek. The story of 70 Hebrew scholars working away in the library has been discredited but does provide evidence of Ptolemy’s patronage of the library (18). Archeological evidence for the library remains elusive but circumstantial evidence places it in the Brucheion, or royal quarter, central to the city and its port. “Encouraged by Ptolemy II [Philadelphus], as early as 283 there came together what Strabo later called a synod [community] of perhaps 80-90 learned men [there were no women], salaried members of a ‘civil list’ for their services as tutors, granted exemption from taxes, and given free board and lodging in an area of the palace” (19). “Ptolemy Philadelphus, it is said, was interested in zoology; and so the Museum may have contained a garden, a zoo, and an observatory. From the time of Ptolemy V [205-180 BC], its scholars organized games, festivals and literary competitions” (20). Eventually, many other smaller libraries sprang up throughout in the city” (21). The location of the primary branch library has recently been found. As El-Abbadi describes it, “As the collection grew, so at least one satellite – daughter [some say, branch] Library emerged, the Serapeion, housed in the temple of Serapis, house to a new Greco-Egyptian cult established by Ptolemy III in the southwest of the city, at some distance from the royal quarters. “Archaeologists have had the good fortune to find physical remains of the foundation of the great temple of Serapis. In 1943 and 1945, Alan Rowe, who was at that time acting Director of the Greco-Roman Museum, undertook some additional investigations on the site and was lucky enough to find, in the south-west and south-east corners of the building, some foundation tablets, now in the museum.” (22). The great library’s “architectural style is not known, but we have clues suggesting it was built upon the plan of a rameseseum – as such, a combination of palace, museum, and shrine” (23). The Library’s first curator and consultant to the King, was Demetrius Phalereus, an associate of Aristotle and a distinguished Athenian scholar. Demetrius is probably who Strabo is referring to when he says that Aristotle “taught the kings in Egypt how to arrange a library” (24). He “began its collections in the manner of Plato, with works of statecraft: on kingship and ruling – For the advancement of government and culture were the twin objectives of a wise ruler. It was an axiom of Alexander that in order to govern, conquerors must first know whom they govern. By extension, this required the collection and translation of local literatures into Greek. But the Ptolemies found it equally prestigious to collect and conserve the Hellenistic legacy itself” (25). Alexandria was the home of the papyrus industry, and as such was the center of the book trade throughout the Mediterranean almost from its founding to the third century A.D. In a competitive move to outshine rival libraries in Rhodes and Pergamum, Ptolemy banned the export of papyrus. “The move backfired, however, spurring the Pergamenes to invent parchment (charta pergamenum), which for its strength and reusability would prove to be the preferred writing medium in Europe for more than a thousand years” (26). Ptolemy III, himself eventually banned papyrus in favor of parchment. Casson notes, “Ptolemy sent out agents with well-filled purses and orders to buy whatever books they could, of every kind on every subject, and the older the copy the better. Older books were preferred on the grounds that, having undergone less recopying, they were that much less likely to have errors in the text” (27). Like Ashurbanipal before him, “Ptolemy had little regard for intellectual property or even for property rights per se. It is said that Ptolemy III wrote to all the world’s sovereigns, asking to borrow their books for copying. When Athens lent him texts of Euripides, Aeschylus, and Sophocles, he had them copied, but kept the originals, cheerfully forfeiting the fortune of fifteen talents he had deposited as bond. Recalling similar treatment accorded medical texts, Galen recounts that customs officials had orders to confiscate from passing ships all books they had, which were then copied” (28). “The originals were deposited in the library, and marked in the catalogue “From the ships’ – thus the expression, ‘ship libraries’ for the larger collection. If they were lucky, owners received copies, but one suspects many travelers sailed from Alexandria minus their first editions” (29). Since the policy of the Ptolemaic kings was to buy, borrow, or copy any and all books, the library ended up with many different copies of the same works. This enabled the scholars to synthesize definitive works from many different traditions. This was most evident in the works of Homer where the library came to own “multitudinous copies with multitudinous differences in the texts they presented” (30). Aristarchus of Samothrace compiled a definitive rendering of the Iliad and the Odyssey using a complex system of notations to describe suspected errors and interpolations. Another example of this synthetic ability is the world map of Eratosthenes. “The library’s holdings not only enabled him to digest the writings of his predecessors but supplied him with fresh information on areas they had scarcely known. For India, the limit of geographical knowledge to the east, he was able to consult the accounts left by members of Alexander’s expedition. For Africa’s east coast, another remote area, he was able to consult the reports of the teams the Ptolemies sent down as far as Somalia to hunt elephants for the army’s elephant corps” (31). The development of Hellenistic philosophy and astrology is directly related to this sharing of ideas prompted by greater access to writings “By the time of Callimachus, the Library possessed over 400,000 mixed scrolls with multiple works, plus another 90,000 single scrolls”(32). “The library’s collections may, for example, have included the Egyptian ‘sacred records’, from which Hecataeus of Abdera wrote the Aegyptiaca” (33). “Greek astronomers worked with data collected over the centuries by the Babylonians. The Hebrew Scriptures were translated into Greek for use by Greek-speaking Jews, and some Jewish thinkers, admiring Greek learning, expressed Jewish religious ideas in philosophical terms” (34). Barton says “It is impossible to be sure that the development of the system which was Hellenistic astrology did occur in Egypt on the basis of the evidence we have looked at. However, there is no doubt that Egypt was believed to be the home of astrology by the first century BCE, and that the primary geographical zone for astrologers was Alexandria and that astrologers made efforts to cultivate Hermetic style or to claim acquaintance with Hermetic texts” (35). The ultimate contribution to history made by the Library of Alexandria was to provide the melting pot for the blending of Eastern and Western ideas, thus fulfilling the goals of its founders. Citations:
My understanding was enriched by many sources, including: Archaeology Magazine, Archaeological Institute of America, U.S.A. Brazil, Wendy, Alexandria: Umbilicus of the Ancient World, In The Library of Alexandria, I.B. Tauris & Co, 2000 Canfora, Luciano, The Vanished Library, University of California Press, 1989 Cantor, Norman, Antiquity, Harper Collins, 2003 Cramer, Frederick, Astrology in Roman Law and Politics, Ares Publishers, Inc., 1996. Holden, James Herschel, History of Horoscopic Astrology, American Federation of Astrologers 1996. Hoskin, Michael ed., The Cambridge Concise History of Astronomy. Cambridge University Press 1999. Patterson, Gordon M, The Essentials of Ancient History: 4500 BC to 500 AD Research & Education Assn. Strabo, Aristotle’s library: 13,609, written in the 1st century BCE. Tester, Jim, A History of Western Astrology. Boydell & Brewer, Inc. 1999. Tripolitis, Antonia, Religions of the Hellenistic-Roman Age. Wm. B. Eerdmans Trumble, Kelly, The Library of Alexandria, Clarion Books, 2003 Whitfield, Peter, Astrology: A History. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc. 2001Letters from our Readers We think of this newsletter as a community forum. You, our friends and clients, are welcome to participate. We celebrate diversity and we'll print whatever you send in be it Wiccan, Christian, Pagan, New Age, etc., as long as it reflects Love. You may choose a one-time holiday to write about or have a regular column. We'll give you space and a byline! Please send in your own book reviews, ideas for rituals, ideas about stones, your journal excerpts, your experiences and most of all, ask us questions. We love answering questions! Laura sent a link to the Seattle Times pictures of the eclipse last month. Risha sent this link from CNN: Prestonpans, Scotland (AP) -- Accused witches and their cats executed during a wave of hysteria and religious ferment centuries ago will be pardoned on Halloween in this Scottish township. The Monthly Dunthor Open House Please come join in the community that has been created over the years with the friends we've made through Inga's Earth Magic. You'll find insight, sharing, healing and fellowship and you are most welcome.
The Duncan
Domain
I was alone during this particular visit and I decided to clear brush from the cross-country ski trails we had created in the forest adjacent to the property. So in the morning, I grabbed the machete and started walking the ski trail, chopping bushes back as I went. I remember being very preoccupied at the time and it took several hours of labor to clear my mind. As my internal dialog quieted down, I became aware of being watched, or more precisely, of being the focus of attention. I spun around 360 degrees to see who was with me in the forest. I saw no one and yet I felt surrounded. I looked down at the bush I had just struck with the machete and then it hit me. I was sensing the consciousness of the forest itself. I snapped out of my self centeredness and opened my mind to it. For the first time all day, I listened to the forest instead of my own thoughts. As oblivious as I had been, I was now stunned by the emotions directed at me. I was being glowered at. The forest was viewing my behavior that day as very rude. I asked why and the answer came to mind instantly. I had stomped into the forest, engaged no one and just started hacking on plants for hours on end. I viewed myself as a gentle, sensitive person and here my preoccupation had caused me to act like some brutish lout. I was horrified! I could not resolve all this in my mind and I sank into a deep mental depression. I left the forest immediately, utterly ashamed, and walked back to the house. I thought about nothing else for hours except the guilt I felt. I prepared a simple meal and ate. Afterwards, I went into the living room and sat down. My guilt was overpowering. Darkness came but I did not turn on any lights. Soon the house was as dark as it was outside. I craved forgiveness but I could not see how to obtain it. It finally occurred to me to go outside to get some fresh air as being in the house seemed to add to my feeling of being trapped. I got up and went to the kitchen door. It was pitch black outside and very quiet. I did not want to disturb the forest nor to draw its attention to me so I went outside very quietly, as if I was sneaking into a church. It did not occur to me to put on a coat or shoes even though it was late November. I stood barefoot on the deck and inhaled the darkness. The chill in the air cleared away my mental fog. I stepped off the deck into the wet, cold grass and as I could not see my hand in front of my face, I walked blindly out onto the front lawn. With each breath and every step, I absorbed the energy of the night while offering up myself to it. My mind was clear when I reached what I figured was the middle of the huge front lawn. I could see with my mind's eye the blockage within me, the knot of guilt, but I did not know how to unravel it. I just stood there, breathing and feeling. The darkness around me was positively alive with energy and I stood trembling within it. I could feel myself standing at the brink of a cusp but I had no idea what would happen next. At that moment, the stillness was shattered by the sound of hooves all around me, thudding on the lawn. I stood still as a whirlwind of energy enveloped me. My eyes were blind and yet I could suddenly discern the herd of deer on the lawn with me. In an instant, they were gone and I stood alone. I was vibrating from head to toe and the blockage within me was gone. I was healed. I was one with Nature and I laughed out loud with joy. She had accepted my apology and blessed me. My depression was replaced with humility and Love. I slowly walked back to the house across the lawn and went inside. I turned on the kitchen light and made a pot of tea. It is the many such healings that I am so very grateful for this Thanksgiving along with the absolute faith that more will come as I need them during my journey ahead. – Scott Bruce Duncan */:-) New and Updated Pages on our Website E-Commerce stuff! Click here to read past issues of our Newsletter. Subscription information: Distribution via e-mail is free of charge. We feel the Internet is a great way to share knowledge and information and very compatible with the environment. We certainly hope you enjoyed our newsletter. If you are not interested in this information and would like to be removed from this mailing list, please click the e-mail link below and place the word "REMOVE" in the subject line of your message. This message is being sent to you in compliance with the Federal legislation for commercial e-mail (H.R.4176 - Section 101, Paragraph (e)(1)(a)) and Bill s.1618 Title III passed by the 105th US Congress. |
We
have been taking Freya swimming twice a month. Her trainer said it would
be good for her arthritis. A human or animal who has a limp or other
limitation will usually benefit from swim therapy. The buoyancy of water
makes the animal virtually weightless, so they can make the swimming or
walking motion without the limitations of pressure and gravity. This
means that the animal will actually make the correction to their gait on
their own and will begin to use full range of motion. Results occur
quickly and can last for a long period. We found a pool in Black Diamond
that caters to dogs called 
Stephanie,
my Mom, will be here from Dec 14 to Jan 8 for the Seattle leg of her
world tour. She specializes in hypnosis and learning theory. So if any
of you are interested in getting some coaching or hypnotherapy from the
master, call me at 206-459-6963 as I will be scheduling appointments for
her.
The
Library of the Museion in Alexandria
Click
on this link to visit the Amazon home page.